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Surah 103. Al-Asr
Qur'an
Translation
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE:1
- Mohammad Asad
According to most of the authorities, this invocation (which occurs at the beginning of every surah with the exception of surah 9) constitutes an integral part of "The Opening" and is, therefore, numbered as verse 1. In all other instances, the invocation "in the name of God" precedes the surah as such, and is not counted among its verses. - Both the divine epithets rahman and rahim are derived from the noun rahmah, which signifies "mercy", "compassion", "loving tenderness" and, more comprehensively, "grace". From the very earliest times, Islamic scholars have endeavoured to define the exact shades of meaning which differentiate the two terms. The best and simplest of these explanations is undoubtedly the one advanced by Ibn al-Qayyim (as quoted in Manar I,48): the term rahman circumscribes the quality of abounding grace inherent in, and inseparable from, the concept of God's Being, whereas rahim expresses the manifestation of that grace in, and its effect upon, His creation - in other words, an aspect of His activity.
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
- Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
In the Name of Allah- the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
- Mustafa Khattab
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
- Marmaduke Pickthall
In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful. 19
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali
The Arabic words "Rahman" and "Rahim" translated "Most Gracious" and "Most Merciful" are both intensive forms referring to different aspects of God's attribute of Mercy. The Arabic intensive is more suited to express God's attributes than the superlative degree in English. The latter implies a comparison with other beings, or with other times or places, while there is no being like unto God, and He is independent of Time and Place. Mercy may imply pity, long-suffering, patience, and forgiveness, all of which the sinner needs and God Most Merciful bestows in abundant measure. But there is a Mercy that goes before even the need arises, the Grace which is ever watchful, and flows from God Most Gracious to all His creatures, protecting the, preserving them, guiding them, and leading them to clearer light and higher life. For this reason the attribute Rahman (Most Gracious) is not applied to any but God, but the attribute Rahim (Merciful), is a general term, and may also be applied to Men. To make us contemplate these boundless gifts of God, the formula: "In the name of God Most Gracious, Most Merciful": is placed before every Sura of the Qur-an (except the ninth), and repeated at the beginning of every act by the Muslim who dedicates his life to God, and whose hope is in His Mercy.
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CONSIDER the flight of time!1
- Mohammad Asad
The term asr denotes "time" that is measurable, consisting of a succession of periods (in distinction from dahr, which signifies "unlimited time", without beginning or end: i.e., "time absolute"). Hence, 'asr bears the connotation of the passing or the flight of time - time which can never be recaptured.
By the time through the ages!
- Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
By the 'passage of' time!
- Mustafa Khattab
By the declining day,
- Marmaduke Pickthall
By (the Token of) time (through the Ages) 6262
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Al-Asr may mean: (1) Time through the Ages, or long periods, in which case it comes near to the abstract idea of Time, Dahr; (2) or the late afternoon, from which the Asr canonical prayer takes its name (see n. 271 to ii: 238). An appeal is made to Time as one of the creations of Allah, of which everyone knows something but of which no one can fully explain the exact significance. Time searches out and destroys everything material. No one in secular literature has expressed the tyranny of "never-resting Time" better than Shakespeare in his Sonnets. For example, see Sonnets 5 ("never-resting Time"), 12 ("Nothing gainst Time's scythe can make defence"), and 64 ("When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced The rich proud cost of outworn buried age"). If we merely run a race against Time, we shall lose. It is the spiritual part of us that conquers Time. See verse 3 below. For the "afternoon" idea see next note.
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Verily, man is bound to lose himself
- Mohammad Asad
Surely mankind is in loss,
- Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Surely humanity is in 'grave' loss,
- Mustafa Khattab
Lo! man is in a state of loss,
- Marmaduke Pickthall
Verily Man is in loss 6263
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali
If life be considered under the metaphor of a business bargain, man, by merely attending to his material gains, will lose. When he makes up his day's account in the afternoon, it will show a loss. It will only show profit if he has Faith, leads a good life, and contributes to social welfare by directing and encouraging other people on the Path of Truth and Constancy.
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unless he be of those2 who attain to faith, and do good works, and enjoin upon one another the keeping to truth, and enjoin upon one another patience in adversity.
- Mohammad Asad
Lit., "man is indeed in [a state of] loss, except those....", etc.
except those who believe and do good deeds; exhort one another to the truth and exhort one another to patience.
- Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.
- Mustafa Khattab
Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
- Marmaduke Pickthall
Except such as have Faith and do righteous deeds and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth and of Patience and Constancy. 6264 6265
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Faith is his armour, which wards off the wounds of the material world; and his righteous life is his positive contribution to spiritual ascent.
If he lived only for himself, he would not fulfil his whole duty. Whatever good he has, especially in moral and spiritual life, he must spread among his brethren, so that they may see the Truth and stand by it in patient hope and unshaken constancy amidst all the storm and stress of outer life. For he and they will then have attained Peace within.
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